Friday, August 21, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Great Halloween Costumes For Kids
In the past, around fifty years ago, mothers use to make costumes for their children during the festival of Halloween and there were no Halloween costumes available for the children in the stores. So the children's costumes were very simple and mostly comprised of gowns with plastic masks and there were as such no designer kids' costumes for the children to wear at the Halloween parties. But nowadays, kids' costumes are available in the market in a vast variety of designs and color patterns. They are gowns only with plastic masks but now they cost around hundreds of dollars which were made free of cost at home by children's mothers. There are various kids' costumes of cartoon characters like superman and batman or there are costumes like that of Captain Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribbean. There are also costumes available for girls like that of a princess or a witch costume. Today there are no boundaries to the variety of the costumes that are available for the kids in the market for Halloween.
The first step to find a good kids Halloween costume is to listen to the kid about what type of costume he wants for the Halloween. If a girl wants a princess dress then her parents should give her a princess dress. Even a low cost simple princess dress would do the work but if she gets something else then her Halloween would go waste as she would not become happy after getting the dress. So it is very important to listen to the child before buying a kids costume to make the Halloween successful and happy. Mostly boys demand for a superhero dress like superman or power rangers and girls either go for a princess dress or naughtier ones go for a witch dress so that they would have fun in scaring their friends on the Halloween night.
Parents should consult their children about the plans for Halloween and this would make the family's Halloween more enjoyable. It depends on the child that for what purpose he would use his Halloween costume. He might use it for scaring friends or neighbors or join a league of friends who would have decided to wear similar dress in a Halloween party. Some children like to just dress up with nice clothes and show it to other people. These children mostly include girls who like to dress as princess. So it is up to the parents that they seek the purpose of their child's costume.
The first step to find a good kids Halloween costume is to listen to the kid about what type of costume he wants for the Halloween. If a girl wants a princess dress then her parents should give her a princess dress. Even a low cost simple princess dress would do the work but if she gets something else then her Halloween would go waste as she would not become happy after getting the dress. So it is very important to listen to the child before buying a kids costume to make the Halloween successful and happy. Mostly boys demand for a superhero dress like superman or power rangers and girls either go for a princess dress or naughtier ones go for a witch dress so that they would have fun in scaring their friends on the Halloween night.
Parents should consult their children about the plans for Halloween and this would make the family's Halloween more enjoyable. It depends on the child that for what purpose he would use his Halloween costume. He might use it for scaring friends or neighbors or join a league of friends who would have decided to wear similar dress in a Halloween party. Some children like to just dress up with nice clothes and show it to other people. These children mostly include girls who like to dress as princess. So it is up to the parents that they seek the purpose of their child's costume.
2009 best Halloween Costumes
CORRECTIONS OFFICER - Halloween Costumes
NAUGHTY NICE TEEN COSTUME
FRENCH MAID - Halloween Costumes
BOXER GIRL - Halloween Costumes
Friday, July 24, 2009
Should you wear French maid costume or school girl costume?
H for Hot and Hot for Halloween! Surely, the spirit of Halloween has changed to a considerable extent. Not only can you see a change in the way of celebration but you can also see a great deal of change in the outfits. The trend has moved from scary dressed to a totally new type of outfits, which are sexier, raunchier, and naughtier. The most popular dress codes include the French maid costume and the sexy school girl costume.
For boys, things are much the same but not for girls. It is strange but true that costumes for girls have changed from ghoulish and girlish to revealing and racy. To know what it means, just have a look inside a costume shop selling Halloween costumes. You will be amazed to see that saucy witches are more in demand as compared to scary witches.
Well, that’s a change in trend – a revolutionary change in fact. Where there were girls wearing cool dresses, now there are girls wear hot dresses. The difference in "cool" and "hot" is nothing but the size of skirt and shirt. Show more skin and you will be hot. Enough of rhetoric, but the simple thing is that Halloween is no longer the same as it was in your grandma` s time. If you want to keep up with the current trend, you need to find a right outfit for this Halloween and what could be better than a French maid costume or a sexy school girl costume.
Both these costumes are wonderful for showgirls but let's find out the better option. For French maid costume, the demand is still high. Lots of girls want to wear it on Halloween. One big reason why you must opt for this great costume is its resemblance with traditional Halloween costumes. In many of the horror movies, you can see girls wearing a French maid costume. When you use a right dress in black color with right accessories, it doesn’t only make you look sexy but also helps you to wear what you are supposed to wear on Halloween.
On the other hand, sexy school girl costume is more on the sexier side. It might not be the best choice for Halloween, especially if you think you must wear something scary and gloomy to fulfill the requirements of Halloween, but it is in demand nevertheless. Sexy school girl costume is more in fashion because a wide majority of girls now likes wearing skimpy and sexy costumes. Sexy school girl costume is just to go with the trend.
After reading these particular details you must have understood that both costumes have their own value and place. But, the choice of dress depends upon your preferences. If you just like to look sexy like everyone else, there is nothing as amazing as sexy school girl costume. But, if you want to have the best of the both worlds, you must get French girl costume as it is not only sexy but also quite close to the traditional Halloween costumes. So, it's all about choice and the choice is entirely yours!
For boys, things are much the same but not for girls. It is strange but true that costumes for girls have changed from ghoulish and girlish to revealing and racy. To know what it means, just have a look inside a costume shop selling Halloween costumes. You will be amazed to see that saucy witches are more in demand as compared to scary witches.
Well, that’s a change in trend – a revolutionary change in fact. Where there were girls wearing cool dresses, now there are girls wear hot dresses. The difference in "cool" and "hot" is nothing but the size of skirt and shirt. Show more skin and you will be hot. Enough of rhetoric, but the simple thing is that Halloween is no longer the same as it was in your grandma` s time. If you want to keep up with the current trend, you need to find a right outfit for this Halloween and what could be better than a French maid costume or a sexy school girl costume.
Both these costumes are wonderful for showgirls but let's find out the better option. For French maid costume, the demand is still high. Lots of girls want to wear it on Halloween. One big reason why you must opt for this great costume is its resemblance with traditional Halloween costumes. In many of the horror movies, you can see girls wearing a French maid costume. When you use a right dress in black color with right accessories, it doesn’t only make you look sexy but also helps you to wear what you are supposed to wear on Halloween.
On the other hand, sexy school girl costume is more on the sexier side. It might not be the best choice for Halloween, especially if you think you must wear something scary and gloomy to fulfill the requirements of Halloween, but it is in demand nevertheless. Sexy school girl costume is more in fashion because a wide majority of girls now likes wearing skimpy and sexy costumes. Sexy school girl costume is just to go with the trend.
After reading these particular details you must have understood that both costumes have their own value and place. But, the choice of dress depends upon your preferences. If you just like to look sexy like everyone else, there is nothing as amazing as sexy school girl costume. But, if you want to have the best of the both worlds, you must get French girl costume as it is not only sexy but also quite close to the traditional Halloween costumes. So, it's all about choice and the choice is entirely yours!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Superheroes And Movies Characters For Adult Halloween Costumes
Adult Halloween costumes are just as great-looking as the ones kids wear nowadays. Wearing a Halloween costume, one can go from a regular guy to an amazing airline pilot or a male trooper. The choices abound and the truth is that the prices are more than appealing. Let’s see what other types of classic costumes are in style right now!
Do you like stories? How about fairytales? Many people prefer adult Halloween costumes that remind them of the stories they read when they were little. This is probably one of the main reasons why the Hansel Halloween costume is in high demand right now. The Big Bad Wolf, the Indian Warrior and the Cave Man are just as popular, being considered classical choices. But the options do not stop there. One can also choose to come costumed as a ladies’ man, a simple mailman or even as the great Nero. Talk about some cool choices!
One of the most interesting categories that virtual stores offer to their clients is the one for Super Heroes. If you’ve always pictured yourself as Batman, then there’s no better time than the present to purchase such a Halloween Costume. You will definitely make an impression appearing like your favorite movie character. Is Spiderman your favorite? Then take a look at the adult Halloween costumes that depict this popular comic’s character. Other popular costumes remind one of Superman, Iron Man or the Incredible Hulk. For one night, you too can be a superhero. Which one do you like best?
Superhero costumes are perfectly suited for Halloween, with Wolverine, Captain America and Thor sitting at the top of the popularity list. Adult Halloween costumes also depict well-known characters from Justice League, Hercules or Robin. If you are a movie enthusiast, you can opt for a costume that reminds one of famous actors and the roles they’ve played. We are talking about a Halloween costume from the movie 300, an adult costume that presents you as Ken (Barbie’s partner) and even one showing the infamous Freddy Krueger from a Nightmare on Elm Street. These are just few of the choices you have and come to think of it, they are really amazing.
Think of all the great movies you have seen. Then take a look at the adult Halloween costumes that specialized stores put to the disposal of their clients. Among the most appealing choices, you have the Dark Knight from Batman (scary and imposing), Borat (unique, there’s no doubt about it) and Willie Wonka from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You can purchase Halloween costume and appear as Elvis, the Dare Devil or even as the Grinch who stole Christmas. And if you really want to go all out, then you have a CSI Jumpsuit available for purchase online. Nobody move anything, this is a crime scene! Does it sound familiar?
Whether you come costumed as an actor from Grease or the Incredible Hulk, you are going to have tons of fun at your Halloween party. It makes all the difference in the world to wear a costume and take pleasure in seeing what other people have decided to costume themselves into.
Do you like stories? How about fairytales? Many people prefer adult Halloween costumes that remind them of the stories they read when they were little. This is probably one of the main reasons why the Hansel Halloween costume is in high demand right now. The Big Bad Wolf, the Indian Warrior and the Cave Man are just as popular, being considered classical choices. But the options do not stop there. One can also choose to come costumed as a ladies’ man, a simple mailman or even as the great Nero. Talk about some cool choices!
One of the most interesting categories that virtual stores offer to their clients is the one for Super Heroes. If you’ve always pictured yourself as Batman, then there’s no better time than the present to purchase such a Halloween Costume. You will definitely make an impression appearing like your favorite movie character. Is Spiderman your favorite? Then take a look at the adult Halloween costumes that depict this popular comic’s character. Other popular costumes remind one of Superman, Iron Man or the Incredible Hulk. For one night, you too can be a superhero. Which one do you like best?
Superhero costumes are perfectly suited for Halloween, with Wolverine, Captain America and Thor sitting at the top of the popularity list. Adult Halloween costumes also depict well-known characters from Justice League, Hercules or Robin. If you are a movie enthusiast, you can opt for a costume that reminds one of famous actors and the roles they’ve played. We are talking about a Halloween costume from the movie 300, an adult costume that presents you as Ken (Barbie’s partner) and even one showing the infamous Freddy Krueger from a Nightmare on Elm Street. These are just few of the choices you have and come to think of it, they are really amazing.
Think of all the great movies you have seen. Then take a look at the adult Halloween costumes that specialized stores put to the disposal of their clients. Among the most appealing choices, you have the Dark Knight from Batman (scary and imposing), Borat (unique, there’s no doubt about it) and Willie Wonka from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You can purchase Halloween costume and appear as Elvis, the Dare Devil or even as the Grinch who stole Christmas. And if you really want to go all out, then you have a CSI Jumpsuit available for purchase online. Nobody move anything, this is a crime scene! Does it sound familiar?
Whether you come costumed as an actor from Grease or the Incredible Hulk, you are going to have tons of fun at your Halloween party. It makes all the difference in the world to wear a costume and take pleasure in seeing what other people have decided to costume themselves into.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Scary Movies for Halloween
I'm celebrating Halloween once again by offering an alphabetical listing of the best classic scary films ever made, along with links to help you purchase them if they're available. (All links have been updated as of 2006.) In keeping with the theme of this site, I've listed very few films made after the 80s, but it's hard to avoid the breakthrough sci-fi and horror films made during the late 70s and early 80s. There are also some special horror/sci-fi sites listed in the Classic Films Horror/Sci-Fi Movies list. I've added many new ones to the list this year. Your suggestions, of course, are always appreciated -- just don't ask me to include anything made in the past few years!
* Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
First on the list alphabetically, but shouldn't be the first one you see, because much of the humor is in knowing something about the various monsters and watching how the boys play off them. Very funny, and even scary.
* The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
Before "Seven," there was "nine" -- the nine biblical plagues, which Dr. Phibes visits upon his victim in one of the best of the Vincent Price horror movies.
* Alien (1979)
In my opinion, this movie has one of the most frightening alien monsters ever created. Sigourney Weaver is a great heroine, smashing the mold of the helpless damsals in distress of the traditional gothic horror films.
* The Birds (1963)
Leave it to The Master to turn a flock of birds into malevolent monsters.
* The Black Cat (1934)
A psychological horror film based on a Poe story, the first joint effort for Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. Read the review by Tim Dirks of The Greatest Films site.
* Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Considered even better than the original, the movie boasts a great campy performance by Elsa Lanchester.
Review by Tim Dirks.
* Burn, Witch, Burn (1962)
A very nice little low budget, black and white horror film based on Fritz Leiber's novel Conjure Wife. Known as Night of the Eagle in the UK.
* The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919)
A stunning experiment in cinematic surrealism and psychological horror that set the tone for many later works. Werner Krauss stars as the hypnotist/showman who travels through a weirdly distorted German countryside and unleashes Cesare, his somnambulist slave, on the townspeople.
* Carnival Of Souls (1962)
A car plunges off a bridge, and a young woman emerges, apparently unscathed. Wandering off, her odyssey takes her to a strange small town and a carnival pavilion whose patrons walk the line between the living and the dead. Director Herk Harvey's atmospheric low-budget chiller has achieved a cult following. (Includes both the original black-and-white and the newly colorized versions.)
* Curse Of The Demon (1956)
A psychologist and occult "debunker" played by Dana Andrews finds himself up against a centuries-old blood cult attempting to bring a demon to Earth, and must use lots of skills to pass the runes. Directed by Jacques Tourneur (Cat People). (Includes both the American version and the complete, restored British version, alternately titled Night of the Demon.)
* Dawn of the Dead (1978)
George Romero's popular follow-up to his seminal 1968 zombie flick, Night of the Living Dead.
* The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)
This breakthrough film set the tone for many sci-fi flics which followed. Its intelligence and theory that humans are more of a threat to the universe than vice-versa were refreshing for the times.
* Dead of Night (1945)
This British film consists of five interwoven stories, all of which have been ripped off more than once, particularly the one about the ventriloquist dummy.
* Dracula (1931)
Bela Lugosi's signature performance as the great vampire.
* Dracula (1979)
Frank Langella did such a great job in this film, based on his Broadway performance, that he was almost typecast in the role. Olivier's in it, too, but the play was better, or so they say.
* The Exorcist (1973)
Recently chosen by TV Guide as the scariest movie of all time. The religious element made it a big draw in the mid-seventies.
* The Fly (1958)
Half man, half fly, with Vincent Price thrown into the mix. Pretty scary at the time.
* Forbidden Planet (1956)
This was the first great sci-fi movie I ever saw, and the ending still packs a punch, despite some of the "Lost in Space" aspects at the beginning.
* FrankensteinFrankenstein (1931)
The acknowledged king of horror films may look like a cliche today, but it created most of those cliches.
* Freaks (1932)
Tod Browning's disturbing story of circus "freaks" and their special form of revenge on a "normal" woman was and is a cult favorite, banned in many places when it was first released.
* Halloween (1978)
This early John Carpenter effort set the tone for many slasher flicks to come. None of the sequels measured up. 25th Anniversary DVD
* The Haunting (1963)
One of the greatest of all haunted house movies makes its point without ever really showing us a ghost. Avoid the recent remake at all costs.
* Horror of Dracula (1958)
The first of the Hammer horror films, with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee together for the first time, is thought by some to be the best vampire movie of the classic era.
* Horror Hotel (1960)
A curious co-ed in pursuit of her history studies visits a ramshackle Massachusetts town that had been the site of witch burnings... and lands in the clutches of a coven that has risen from the ashes. Starring Christopher Lee.
* House On Haunted Hill (1959)
A sinister host, played by Vincent Price offers a group of people $10,000 each if they'll spend the night in his macabre mansion, then does his best to see that no one collects. Directed by the legendary William Castle. (B&W and colorized versions)
* I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957)
The best of the "teenage" movies starred Michael Landon as the scary pubescent lycanthrope.
* The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
Richard Matheson wrote the novel and the screenplay for this film in which common cats and spiders become frightening monsters, thanks to a man's exposure to nuclear radiation.
* Invasion of the Body SnatchersInvasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
When I was a kid, this was the first horror/sci-fi film that I was forbidden to see (probably had something to do with the word "body" in the title). The 1978 remake wasn't bad, either.
* Island of Lost Souls (1933)
The original version of H.G. Wells' novel, The Island of Dr. Moreau. Charles Laughton makes a very creepy Dr. Moreau, and Bela Lugosi is equally creepy as The Sayer of the Law. If you've seen later versions, particularly the recent Brando remake, be sure to catch this one if you can.
* The Invisible Man (1933)
Directed by the legendary James Whale (Frankenstein), this original version of the H.G. Wells tale stars Claude Rains, who is a scary character, even though he's rarely seen in the flesh. The film also stars Gloria Stuart, of Titanic fame.
* Jaws (1975)
Not to be outdone by Hitchcock, Spielberg managed to make people afraid of a fish. In a totally different class from the sequels.
* King Kong (1933)
Excellent special effects for its day, a beautiful heroine, and a sympathetic monster make this one a keeper.
* The Legend of Hell House (1973)
Roddy McDowall and Pamela Franklin star in this haunted house film that's a somewhat weaker version of "The Haunting," though still plenty scary and entertaining.
* The Legend of Sleepy Hollow 1958)
One of the scariest Disney animations ever created. I still have childhood memories of the scene where the Headless Horseman threw his pumpkin head at poor Ichabod! It's not Alien, but it's not a Mickey Mouse cartoon, either.
* Val Lewton Horror CollectionThe Val Lewton Horror Collection
Along with Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie, The Curse of the Cat People, The Body Snatcher, Isle of the Dead, and Bedlam, this five-disc boxed set also includes two exclusive double features. First, a remote New Mexico town is filled with fear when a killer jungle cat is on the loose and a series of savage murders follows in The Leopard Man (1943), with Dennis O'Keefe and Jean Brooks; and the new third mate of a ship discovers his captain is a sadistic maniac in The Ghost Ship (1943), starring Richard Dix and Russell Wade. Next, a young woman comes to New York City to look for her missing sister and uncovers a deadly devil-worshipping cult in The Seventh Victim, starring Kim Hunter, Tom Conway and Jean Brooks; followed by Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy, a documentary look at how the producer's '40s RKO tenure changed the face of screen horror.
* Mad Love (1935)
Peter Lorre as Dr. Gogol, who grafts the hands of a murderer onto the arms of a great pianist, whose wife Dr. Gogol happens to be in love with.
* Masque of the Red Death (1964)
Roger Corman and Vincent Price combined for this classy but low-budget version of the Edgar Allen Poe story.
* The Mummy (1932)
It may look a little creaky after more than 70 years, especially compared to the 1999 remake, but Boris Karloff and the Mummy make a pretty scary combination, nevertheless.
DVD Legacy Collection
* Night of the Demon (1957)
Given the highest rating by voters in the Internet Movie Database poll among all English-language horror movies made before 1982. Starring Dana Andrews.
* Night of the Living Dead (1968)
George Romero's seminal but low-budget 1968 zombie flick is still about as scary as they get, because in spite of the black and white, it looks real. 1978 sequel was better, but this was the first.
* Nosferatu (1922)
F.W. Murnau's masterpiece is thought by many to be the greatest vampire movie of all time.
* The Old Dark House (1932)
Six travelers seek refuge from a storm in a decrepit mansion in Wales, inhabited by a creepy, eccentric family (especially hideously scarred butler Boris Karloff). A classic mix of thrills, scares and laughs from Frankenstein director James Whale. With Charles Laughton, Melvyn Douglas, Ernest Thesiger, Gloria Stuart.
* The Omen (1976)
Great stars Gregory Peck and Lee Remick star in this story of a little boy discovered by his father to be the Antichrist. Though the movie was actually listed in the book 50 Worst Movies Of All Time, many feel it is one of the best horror movies ever made, and almost Hitchcockian in some of its shots. Hollywood thought enough of it to remake it recently.
* The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
One of Vincent Price's best classic horror vehicles, based loosely on the Poe story.
* Poltergeist (1982)
A very scary film, with an excruciating climactic final scene taking place in a muddy pit full of decomposed corpses. Read the review From The Greatest Films.
* PsychoPsycho (1960)
Hitchcock might not be happy to hear that he started the slasher flick craze, but this is still his most popular film, and one which influenced generations of filmmakers.
* Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Roman Polanski scared moviegoers in the late sixties with this tale of a woman, played by Mia Farrow, who gives birth to the Devil's child.
* The Shining (1980)
We couldn't forget this one by Stanley Kubrick, who teams up with Jack Nicholson for a gothic tale with a difference.
Reviewed by Tim Dirks.
* The Spiral Staircase (1946)
Dorothy McGuire is a servant left mute by a childhood trauma, caring for invalid Ethel Barrymore in a spooky Victorian New England mansion with a killer of handicapped women on the loose. "Don't go down the cellar!"
* The Uninvited (1944)
Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey star in one of the classic haunted house films, set in an old house on the English coast that holds a terrible secret.
* The Wolf Man (1941)
One of a handful of the most remarkable horror films. Lon Chaney, Jr.'s best-known role. The rest of the cast is excellent, as well.
* Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
First on the list alphabetically, but shouldn't be the first one you see, because much of the humor is in knowing something about the various monsters and watching how the boys play off them. Very funny, and even scary.
* The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
Before "Seven," there was "nine" -- the nine biblical plagues, which Dr. Phibes visits upon his victim in one of the best of the Vincent Price horror movies.
* Alien (1979)
In my opinion, this movie has one of the most frightening alien monsters ever created. Sigourney Weaver is a great heroine, smashing the mold of the helpless damsals in distress of the traditional gothic horror films.
* The Birds (1963)
Leave it to The Master to turn a flock of birds into malevolent monsters.
* The Black Cat (1934)
A psychological horror film based on a Poe story, the first joint effort for Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. Read the review by Tim Dirks of The Greatest Films site.
* Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Considered even better than the original, the movie boasts a great campy performance by Elsa Lanchester.
Review by Tim Dirks.
* Burn, Witch, Burn (1962)
A very nice little low budget, black and white horror film based on Fritz Leiber's novel Conjure Wife. Known as Night of the Eagle in the UK.
* The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919)
A stunning experiment in cinematic surrealism and psychological horror that set the tone for many later works. Werner Krauss stars as the hypnotist/showman who travels through a weirdly distorted German countryside and unleashes Cesare, his somnambulist slave, on the townspeople.
* Carnival Of Souls (1962)
A car plunges off a bridge, and a young woman emerges, apparently unscathed. Wandering off, her odyssey takes her to a strange small town and a carnival pavilion whose patrons walk the line between the living and the dead. Director Herk Harvey's atmospheric low-budget chiller has achieved a cult following. (Includes both the original black-and-white and the newly colorized versions.)
* Curse Of The Demon (1956)
A psychologist and occult "debunker" played by Dana Andrews finds himself up against a centuries-old blood cult attempting to bring a demon to Earth, and must use lots of skills to pass the runes. Directed by Jacques Tourneur (Cat People). (Includes both the American version and the complete, restored British version, alternately titled Night of the Demon.)
* Dawn of the Dead (1978)
George Romero's popular follow-up to his seminal 1968 zombie flick, Night of the Living Dead.
* The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)
This breakthrough film set the tone for many sci-fi flics which followed. Its intelligence and theory that humans are more of a threat to the universe than vice-versa were refreshing for the times.
* Dead of Night (1945)
This British film consists of five interwoven stories, all of which have been ripped off more than once, particularly the one about the ventriloquist dummy.
* Dracula (1931)
Bela Lugosi's signature performance as the great vampire.
* Dracula (1979)
Frank Langella did such a great job in this film, based on his Broadway performance, that he was almost typecast in the role. Olivier's in it, too, but the play was better, or so they say.
* The Exorcist (1973)
Recently chosen by TV Guide as the scariest movie of all time. The religious element made it a big draw in the mid-seventies.
* The Fly (1958)
Half man, half fly, with Vincent Price thrown into the mix. Pretty scary at the time.
* Forbidden Planet (1956)
This was the first great sci-fi movie I ever saw, and the ending still packs a punch, despite some of the "Lost in Space" aspects at the beginning.
* FrankensteinFrankenstein (1931)
The acknowledged king of horror films may look like a cliche today, but it created most of those cliches.
* Freaks (1932)
Tod Browning's disturbing story of circus "freaks" and their special form of revenge on a "normal" woman was and is a cult favorite, banned in many places when it was first released.
* Halloween (1978)
This early John Carpenter effort set the tone for many slasher flicks to come. None of the sequels measured up. 25th Anniversary DVD
* The Haunting (1963)
One of the greatest of all haunted house movies makes its point without ever really showing us a ghost. Avoid the recent remake at all costs.
* Horror of Dracula (1958)
The first of the Hammer horror films, with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee together for the first time, is thought by some to be the best vampire movie of the classic era.
* Horror Hotel (1960)
A curious co-ed in pursuit of her history studies visits a ramshackle Massachusetts town that had been the site of witch burnings... and lands in the clutches of a coven that has risen from the ashes. Starring Christopher Lee.
* House On Haunted Hill (1959)
A sinister host, played by Vincent Price offers a group of people $10,000 each if they'll spend the night in his macabre mansion, then does his best to see that no one collects. Directed by the legendary William Castle. (B&W and colorized versions)
* I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957)
The best of the "teenage" movies starred Michael Landon as the scary pubescent lycanthrope.
* The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
Richard Matheson wrote the novel and the screenplay for this film in which common cats and spiders become frightening monsters, thanks to a man's exposure to nuclear radiation.
* Invasion of the Body SnatchersInvasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
When I was a kid, this was the first horror/sci-fi film that I was forbidden to see (probably had something to do with the word "body" in the title). The 1978 remake wasn't bad, either.
* Island of Lost Souls (1933)
The original version of H.G. Wells' novel, The Island of Dr. Moreau. Charles Laughton makes a very creepy Dr. Moreau, and Bela Lugosi is equally creepy as The Sayer of the Law. If you've seen later versions, particularly the recent Brando remake, be sure to catch this one if you can.
* The Invisible Man (1933)
Directed by the legendary James Whale (Frankenstein), this original version of the H.G. Wells tale stars Claude Rains, who is a scary character, even though he's rarely seen in the flesh. The film also stars Gloria Stuart, of Titanic fame.
* Jaws (1975)
Not to be outdone by Hitchcock, Spielberg managed to make people afraid of a fish. In a totally different class from the sequels.
* King Kong (1933)
Excellent special effects for its day, a beautiful heroine, and a sympathetic monster make this one a keeper.
* The Legend of Hell House (1973)
Roddy McDowall and Pamela Franklin star in this haunted house film that's a somewhat weaker version of "The Haunting," though still plenty scary and entertaining.
* The Legend of Sleepy Hollow 1958)
One of the scariest Disney animations ever created. I still have childhood memories of the scene where the Headless Horseman threw his pumpkin head at poor Ichabod! It's not Alien, but it's not a Mickey Mouse cartoon, either.
* Val Lewton Horror CollectionThe Val Lewton Horror Collection
Along with Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie, The Curse of the Cat People, The Body Snatcher, Isle of the Dead, and Bedlam, this five-disc boxed set also includes two exclusive double features. First, a remote New Mexico town is filled with fear when a killer jungle cat is on the loose and a series of savage murders follows in The Leopard Man (1943), with Dennis O'Keefe and Jean Brooks; and the new third mate of a ship discovers his captain is a sadistic maniac in The Ghost Ship (1943), starring Richard Dix and Russell Wade. Next, a young woman comes to New York City to look for her missing sister and uncovers a deadly devil-worshipping cult in The Seventh Victim, starring Kim Hunter, Tom Conway and Jean Brooks; followed by Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy, a documentary look at how the producer's '40s RKO tenure changed the face of screen horror.
* Mad Love (1935)
Peter Lorre as Dr. Gogol, who grafts the hands of a murderer onto the arms of a great pianist, whose wife Dr. Gogol happens to be in love with.
* Masque of the Red Death (1964)
Roger Corman and Vincent Price combined for this classy but low-budget version of the Edgar Allen Poe story.
* The Mummy (1932)
It may look a little creaky after more than 70 years, especially compared to the 1999 remake, but Boris Karloff and the Mummy make a pretty scary combination, nevertheless.
DVD Legacy Collection
* Night of the Demon (1957)
Given the highest rating by voters in the Internet Movie Database poll among all English-language horror movies made before 1982. Starring Dana Andrews.
* Night of the Living Dead (1968)
George Romero's seminal but low-budget 1968 zombie flick is still about as scary as they get, because in spite of the black and white, it looks real. 1978 sequel was better, but this was the first.
* Nosferatu (1922)
F.W. Murnau's masterpiece is thought by many to be the greatest vampire movie of all time.
* The Old Dark House (1932)
Six travelers seek refuge from a storm in a decrepit mansion in Wales, inhabited by a creepy, eccentric family (especially hideously scarred butler Boris Karloff). A classic mix of thrills, scares and laughs from Frankenstein director James Whale. With Charles Laughton, Melvyn Douglas, Ernest Thesiger, Gloria Stuart.
* The Omen (1976)
Great stars Gregory Peck and Lee Remick star in this story of a little boy discovered by his father to be the Antichrist. Though the movie was actually listed in the book 50 Worst Movies Of All Time, many feel it is one of the best horror movies ever made, and almost Hitchcockian in some of its shots. Hollywood thought enough of it to remake it recently.
* The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
One of Vincent Price's best classic horror vehicles, based loosely on the Poe story.
* Poltergeist (1982)
A very scary film, with an excruciating climactic final scene taking place in a muddy pit full of decomposed corpses. Read the review From The Greatest Films.
* PsychoPsycho (1960)
Hitchcock might not be happy to hear that he started the slasher flick craze, but this is still his most popular film, and one which influenced generations of filmmakers.
* Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Roman Polanski scared moviegoers in the late sixties with this tale of a woman, played by Mia Farrow, who gives birth to the Devil's child.
* The Shining (1980)
We couldn't forget this one by Stanley Kubrick, who teams up with Jack Nicholson for a gothic tale with a difference.
Reviewed by Tim Dirks.
* The Spiral Staircase (1946)
Dorothy McGuire is a servant left mute by a childhood trauma, caring for invalid Ethel Barrymore in a spooky Victorian New England mansion with a killer of handicapped women on the loose. "Don't go down the cellar!"
* The Uninvited (1944)
Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey star in one of the classic haunted house films, set in an old house on the English coast that holds a terrible secret.
* The Wolf Man (1941)
One of a handful of the most remarkable horror films. Lon Chaney, Jr.'s best-known role. The rest of the cast is excellent, as well.
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